The Summer of Our Discontent

A personal photographic journal of the protests in Istanbul, Turkey.
June, July / 2013.

The 2013 protests in Turkey started on 28 May 2013, initially to contest the urban development plan for Istanbul's Taksim Gezi Park. The protests were sparked by outrage at a brutal eviction of a sit-in at the park protesting against the plan. Subsequently, supporting protests and strikes took place across Turkey protesting a wide range of concerns, at the core of which were issues of freedom of the press, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and the government's encroachment on Turkey's secularism. With no centralised leadership beyond the small organisation organising the original environmental protest, the protests have been compared to the Occupy movement and the May 1968 events.

During the protests:10 people were killed and more than 8500 were injured (at least 63 in serious or critical condition).Most of the deaths and injuries are related to police brutality and excessive use of tear gas by the riot control police. Also, more than 1000 birds of various species died of tear gas attacks.Seeking retribution, currently Turkish government is conducting a nationwide manhunt for the protesters.Since the beginning of the protests 5000 people are arrested, more than 80 held in custody and at least 130 people are detained...